The apples in your home today may have been picked almost a year ago. Why? Most apples are harvested in the fall. Then they are held in a modified-air environment (low humidity, low oxygen and high carbon dioxide) to slow down the ripening process. They may be held in this environment as long as 11 months. This storage information may give you the impression that apples are very durable. However, they won’t last long unless you refrigerate them.